My ghast is flabbered.

On a dog walk recently, I decided to walk down Old Castle Road rather than the Rodwell Trail to avoid all the cyclists that fly along there itching to shout at me because my dogs are in the way while not wishing to alight on me the knowledge of their own presence with such modern contrivances as a bell (what do these people seriously think a walker can hear?) It’s certainly not a bike wheel two feet from their head with the wind rushing. Passing a woman and two small children, I heard the mother say ‘Dogs going to the beach’.

Thinking she was chatting amiably to the kids I half smiled and carried on, but as I got further I then heard ‘It’s disgusting, they carry worms and everything’.

This woman then carried on telling her children of the pitfalls of canine influence on the way up the road.

As I passed the beach – for I was not going to Sandsfoot because it is too busy for my dogs – I noticed a large mat of rotting seaweed on the shore, something the flies love to lay their eggs in.

There are also a substantial number of dead crabs festering at the high tide mark, which the gulls peck at and then defecate in the area.

These are the crabs which mainly feed on rotting fish carcasses and other scavengers’ prey.

These are the fish and the crabs which most fundamentally do not get out of the sea to go to the toilet, and forget all the shipping detritus.

But absolutely do not let dogs on the beach, it’s disgusting. I wonder if she’d care so much in the freezing winter?

R Edgar

Lanehouse Rocks Rd

Weymouth